| Total population | |
|---|---|
| c. 10,114,378[1] | |
| Languages | |
| French · Haitian Creole | |
| Religion | |
| Catholicism · Haitian Vodou | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Haitians · West/Central Africans · Afro-Argentines · Afro-Caribbeans · Afro-Chileans · Afro-Costa Ricans · Afro-Cubans · Afro-Dominicans (Dominican Republic) · Afro-Ecuadorians · Afro-Jamaicans · Afro-Latin Americans · Afro-Mexicans · Afro-Peruvians · Afro-Puerto Ricans · Afro-Trinidadians and Tobagonians · Afro-Uruguayans · Creoles · Louisiana Creoles · African-Americans |
Afro-Haitians orBlack Haitians, areHaitian people whoseancestors wereAfricans. Most Afro-Haitians are descended fromWest Africanslaves. The slaves were brought over to work inplantations, mainly for sugar canes.
The vast majority (about 90%) of Haitians are of African descent. Of them, about 25-30% are of mixed race ormulatto.[1]
| Region descended from, 1535-1791 | Amount % |
|---|---|
| Senegambia(Wolof) | 6.5 |
| Sierra Leone(Zape) | 3.1 |
| Windward Coast | 1.1 |
| Gold Coast(Akan, Bran) | 4.3 |
| Bight of Benin(Yoruba,Aja, Terranova) | 24.7 |
| Bight of Biafra(Igbo,Kalabari) | 4.6 |
| West-central Africa(Kongo,Mbundu) | 46.1 |
| Southeast Africa | 3.3 |
| (Unknown) | 6.3[2] |
Haiti, just like in any region in theAmericas, received slaves from all over West and Central Africa. Although Haitian slaves were from all over Africa, the most common wereKongos from theCongo region, andEwe andFon tribes of current-dayBenin orTogo. There was also a lot ofIgbo people from Nigeria.
Haitian Voodoo is obviously from the Fon people of Benin, when they came in large numbers as slaves to work in plantations as maids, farmers, and sugar cane cutters have kept their traditions strong and alive till this day after 300 years away from their original home.
The African influence can also be seen in the language Haitians use to speak;Haitian Creole is a French-based language with strong African influence in the phonetics, vocabulary, syntax, grammar, pronunciations. There are many words of African origin used in every day speech. Haitian food is mostly of African origin, including the names of the food. The music of Haiti is filled with African rhythms and instruments, the use ofcall and response as well as vocal African songs.
